When asked about his recent drop in the polls, Mulcair remained optimistic about his chances to win the election.

“I still keep on my desk in Ottawa the polls from the last election campaign that showed that the NDP was in fourth place in Quebec, and as you know it didn’t quite turn out that way,” he said. “There’s still 10 days left in this campaign.”

Zunera Ishaq talks to reporters outside the Federal Court of Appeal after her case was heard on whether she can wear a niqab while taking her citizenship oath, in Ottawa on Tuesday, September 15, 2015.

THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle

Mulcair: The Niqab is a distraction

Another hot-button issue during the campaign is whether or not the niqab should be worn during citizenship ceremonies. Mulcair remained firm in his stance that the niqab is merely a distraction.

“I’m not going to let Stephen Harper to use that … to hide his record,” he said.